Hot chili peppers have been consumed in Mexico and South America for over 5,000 years. The ancient Aztecs had at least 7 different words for peppers. They were used as a kind of currency by the Incas. The Spanish conquest brought peppers to Europe by the 1500's, where they then traveled the world over, reaching and enriching many cuisines.
Many people like the safe, non-addicting "thrill" of hot chile peppers. I offer rare, ornamental hot and sweet peppers in a rainbow of colors, ( even stripes!) , which are sure to please any gardener. Heirloom peppers are beautiful, high yielding and one of the easiest vegetables to grow. Some of the rare non-bell type sweet peppers I offer are so sweet you will never go back to the supermarket types again. Because I have found some great rare varieties from northern climates, like the former Soviet bloc nations, now all of you gardeners in cold weather zones can enjoy ripe sweet peppers, that you never dreamed of eating before. And remember, don't ever judge a pepper by its looks, it can be devilishly deceiving!
All seed packs are $2.50 each
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*SORRY SOLD OUT ALREADY FOR 2013 SEASON-Look for this again in 2014* CHERVENA CHUSHKA SWEET PEPPER - Despite their impossible to pronounce name, these Bulgarian Heirloom sweet peppers are a real keeper! They are traditionally used in Bulgaria for roasting but they are a great all around sweet pepper for salads, frying or whatever. They are literally sweet as candy! It has brilliant red flesh on long tapered fruit that reaches about 6" long and is about 2" wide at the top. They have an odd ripening coloration of green to brown to red, which I have never seen in a sweet pepper before. They can take the cold and wet and just about whatever else Mother Nature dishes out. I was very impressed with these new-to-me peppers, but I shouldn't have been surprised as my only other Bulgarian pepper, " Bulgarian Carrot Chile Pepper" or "Shipkas" were a real winner in the hot pepper category. "Viva Bulgaria" is all I can say. You guys really know your peppers! *SOLD OUT*
"OH, MY ACHING BACK!" PEPPER MIX~ In late May of last year I injured my back severely, breaking a vertebrae and slipping a disc among other painful things. I was totally unable to even bend over or lift anything. I had just gotten some of my pepper plants transplanted and more needed to go in. With the help of Tracy, Patty, Roseanna and other wonderful friends, we were able to get them in successfully. Unfortunately, the process of keeping them securely wrapped in Reemay Agricultural fabric to keep the peppers from crossing didn't go as well. The temperatures soared over a hundred degrees for weeks and no one could continue to help me with that project. So, although the peppers were mostly contained in their miniature water filled greenhouses called "Kozy Kotes" I couldn't be assured that crossing didn't occur. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I thought I sold you peppers that weren't going to grow "true". So I am taking a huge hit financially but doing the correct thing. I will sell all those wonderful peppers as a mix only. You will receive seeds from these rare peppers (although not neccesarily all of them) in the mix: "Goatshorn" Sweet Long Italian Pepper "Little Nubian" hot pepper - extremely rare "Hungarian Death" hot pepper "Red Hinkelhatz" hot pepper - this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year "Tollies" Long Sweet Italian Pepper "Tiny Samoa" hot pepper - this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year "Yellow Amish Stuffer" sweet pepper-this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year- "Doorknob" sweet pepper "Red Amish Stuffer" sweet pepper-this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year "Fish" hot Pepper "Martin's Carrot" hot pepper-this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year- "Turkey aka Ratturd" hot pepper-this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year "Klari Hungarian Cheese" sweet pepper "Svetlanka" hot pepper-this will still be available in single packs of pure seeds from the previous year
So, please take advantage of this opportunity to grow out some great and super rare and even some exclusive peppers from Amishland at a bargain price. Oh and thanks for asking, I am finally on the mend and with a bit more physical therapy hope to be planting a huge garden at my new farm. One seed pack will include some whole dried pods and a lot of loose seeds- approximately 50-75 fresh organically grown pepper seeds.
SVETLANKA'S BULGARIAN CHILI PEPPER ONLY USA SOURCE!- I first met my Bulgarian neighbor when she recognized my “shipkas" (Bulgarian for hot pepper), which were in my garden. I was growing the fiery orange “Bulgarian Carrot Pepper." She went wild over them, so homesick was she. She literally broke into tears. Svetlanka speaks very, very little English and we learned to communicate by speaking in our mutual language, French. She visits here each summer to take of her twin grandchildren, Valentin and Svetlana. She promised to bring me seeds when she returned and these medium hot peppers are what she so kindly shared with me. She comes from a very rural, small farming community in former Communist Bulgaria. When I grew these peppers out they looked virtually identical to the other Bulgarian sweet pepper I sell, Chervena Chushka. I was positive that was what they were. But no, they had a big surpise, a fair amount of heat! She called them Chushki, which I'm pretty sure just means Bulgarian pepper. At any rate, these really took off and get ripe very early and keep on producing prolifically all season long. Here in Amishland, we just had our first frost as I write this, and they are still just perfect and still growing and ripening. Just a great find. Be the first to grow these piquant pretty peppers in your own garden. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only commercial source of this fine pepper.
10 of my own organically grown seeds.
PURPLE GLOW IN THE DARK PEPPER -I got a few seeds for this extraordinary pepper in a seed trade. Then I grew it, Wow is all I can say!! I believe this is the most beautiful pepper plant on Earth! The leaves on this plant are mottled in a fabulous fluorescent purple and white. It truly looks as if it glows in the dark. The stems and branches are totally deep purple as well, The tiny little brilliant purple peppers turn from green, to a fluorescent purple, then to a deep red when totally ripe. This was the plant that literally stopped traffic! I used to live next to a Mennonite (a sect similar to Amish) Church. People leaving church would always come over and ask about the plant . I was not able to get photos that did justice to the absolute loveliness of this pepper plant.
Seed Amount - 1 whole dried pepper pod- approximately 10 seeds.
BACK AGAIN! PETER PIPER'S PECK O'PEPPERS MIX ~MOSTLY HOT VARIETIES!~
I got a little creative here with the name. But this is a fun mix. I help with and donate seeds for a demonstration garden of traditional varieties at a local Pennsylvania German living history farm museum, called Historic Schaefferstown Inc. For reasons of authenticity, I can't do my usual separation of peppers there with ag fabric and so forth. But the peppers grew splendidly this summer and many were very rare ones. So I collected these fruits and am offering them to you as a fun hot pepper mix. Please bear in mind these have most likely crossed, so they may not grow the same as their authentic parents were this year, but it will still be a fun and affordable way to grow out some amazing hot peppers. Included as the original parents in this mix are: “Yellow Hinkelhatz-Chickenheart", "Martin's Carrot Pepper ", "Long Hot Italian" (not my original seed, so I don't know its real name), "Fish Pepper -striped in green stage”, and a few more. Also, there may be a few sweet peppers thrown in like "Tolli's Italian" .You can read my detailed descriptions of these peppers elsewhere on this page. Have yourself some hot fun in the garden this summer! 30+ organically grown seeds in one pack.
AMISH PIMIENTO SWEET PEPPER - *BACK FOR 2013* RARE- GENUINE AMISH HEIRLOOM- ORDER EARLY! Sweet as an apple! It doesn't get any sweeter than these bright red, round beauties! 2" by 4" squat round fruits are sweet enough to eat like an apple. Very compact 1-2 ft plants pump out lots of these wonderful fruits. Ripens early.These are my absolute favorite sweet peppers. Nothing else comes close except for my heirloom "Doorknob Sweet Pepper" which is quite similar in sweetness and wonderfulness. I am one of the only seed companies offering the "Amish Pimiento". Be sure to order this one early as it always sells out fast. Those who tasted this before always want more of these succulent sweet peppers.
10 of my own fresh organically grown seeds.
*SORRY SOLD OUT FOR 2013*SWEET RED STUFFING PEPPER (genuine Amish heirloom)
I got seeds of this little miniature red bell pepper (I also have it in golden yellow) with an Amish history dating back to the 1950's from a local farm in the village of Landis Valley, near the city of Lancaster. The locals serve them stuffed with cream cheese or peanut butter, sometimes pickled whole. I was pleasantly surprised with these cute little mini bell sweet peppers. They only grew 2 inches across at the most. They really were perfect little miniatures and kept on growing so prolifically, despite the fact that I grew them in containers. Tiny little bushes too. These are an apartment dweller's delight. Imagine a summer's worth of tiny fresh sweet peppers right on your window sill or fire escape. Perfect to put on a kabob on the grill too. Cute and fun to grow for children of all ages. And as a plus they make the most darling Martha Stewart worthy appetizers when stuffed with crabmeat or spinach or whatever. Not just a novelty, these are really gourmet quality in a miniature.
*SORRY SOLD OUT FOR 2013* SWEET YELLOW STUFFING PEPPER (genuine Amish heirloom)
I got seeds of this little miniature bell pepper with an Amish history dating back to the 1950's from a local farm in the village of Landis Valley, near the city of Lancaster. The locals serve them stuffed with cream cheese or peanut butter, sometimes pickled whole. I was pleasantly surprised with these cute little mini bell sweet peppers. They only grew 2 inches across at the most. They really were perfect little miniatures and kept on growing so prolifically, despite the fact that I grew them in containers. Tiny little bushes too. These are an apartment dweller's delight. Imagine a summer's worth of tiny fresh sweet peppers right on your window sill or fire escape. Perfect to put on a kabob on the grill too. Cute and fun to grow for children of all ages. And as a plus they make the most darling Martha Stewart worthy appetizers when stuffed with crabmeat or spinach or whatever. Not just a novelty, these are really gourmet quality in a miniature.
*SOLD OUT* RED CHICKENHEART HOT CHILE PEPPER aka ROTE HINKELHATZ PEPPER -VERY RARE ~ ARK OF TASTE SELECTION
This is the very rare red variant of the Hinkelhatz Pepper. These hot peppers are one of the very oldest varieties preserved by the Pennsylvania Dutch German people. Although this has been described as an Amish Heirloom, it is not, but it does come from the same area in Lancaster County and environs where the Amish and Mennonites live. These hot peppers have been cultivated in this area for over 150 years! Its name perfectly describes the shape and size of these extremely hot peppers. These hot little beauties are used almost exclusively in pickled form by the PA Dutch, although they also cook and puree the peppers to make a "pepper vinegar" similar to Tabasco sauce, which is used on sauerkraut and other dishes. A recipe appears in 1848 in Die Geschickte Hausfrau. Prolific, long-season plants. Very ornamental, on compact 1-1/2 to 2 foot bushes. Very resistant to all bugs and disease. Also very cold hardy for a chile pepper. These peppers grew well until hard frost here in my Zone 6A garden. Please see the other color YELLOW CHICKENHEART HOT PEPPER - GEELI HINKELHATZ that I also sell. Both the Red and Yellow Hinkelhatz Peppers are listed on the Ark of Taste of Slow Food USA which describes the Ark as "a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction." By promoting and eating Ark products we help ensure they remain in production and on our plates.
Rare YELLOW CHICKENHEART PEPPERS - in PA German: GEELI HINKELHATZ PEPPERS-RARE- ONLY ONE OF 3 SEED SOURCES IN USA!~ARK OF TASTE SELECTION These hot peppers are one of the very oldest varieties preserved by the Pennsylvania Dutch Germans. Although this has been described as an Amish Heirloom, it is not, but it does come from the same area in Lancaster County and environs that the Amish live in. These hot peppers have been cultivated in this area for over 150 years! Its name perfectly describes the shape and size of these extremely hot peppers. These hot little beauties are used almost exclusively in pickled form by the PA Dutch, although they also cook and puree the peppers to make a "pepper vinegar" similar to Tabasco sauce, which is used on sauerkraut and other dishes. A recipe appears in 1848 in Die Geschickte Hausfrau. Prolific, long-season plants. Very ornamental, on compact 1-1/2 to 2 foot bushes. Very resistant to all bugs and disease. Also very cold hardy for a pepper. These peppers grew well until hard frost here in my Zone 6a garden. I also will be selling the very rare red variant of the Hinkelhatz pepper. I am only one of 3 USA seed sources for this rare pepper! Both the Red and Yellow Hinkelhatz Peppers are listed on the Ark of Taste of Slow Food USA which describes the Ark as "a catalog of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. By promoting and eating Ark products we help ensure they remain in production and on our plates."
One whole dried organically raised pepper, which is approximately 30-50+ seeds.
*BACK FOR 2013* MARTIN'S CARROT HOT CHILE PEPPER - VERY RARE, EARLY 1800'S (PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN -PA DUTCH) MENNONITE HEIRLOOM! - One of only 2 Commercial Seed Sources~ This is very rare and old heirloom hot pepper introduced and developed by the horticulturist Jacob B. Garber (1800-1886) of Lancaster County, PA. It was preserved for many years by the Martin family of Ephrata Pennsylvania. Here is some more oral history on this rare pepper as told in an interview with PBS by William Woys Weaver author of Heirloom Vegetable Gardening (now out of print):
"One of my favorite stories is about the Martin Carrot Pepper. Mrs. Martin was an Old Order Amish woman in Lancaster County, PA who had an extraordinary vegetable garden and produce stand along Rt. 322 near Ephrata, PA. She walked around barefoot in the summer, pulled her wagon with a mule called Beverly, and always wore handmade aprons. I came to know her very well because I stopped by her produce stand often. In fact, I made a beeline for it when I was in the neighborhood.
One October I was in the area and decided to pay Mrs. Martin a visit. I stopped along the road but her produce stand was empty and closed up. That was odd because not only did she sell her own produce, she brokered fruit and vegetables for other women in the area, with a keen eye for quality. On a whim, I decided to get out of the car and knock on the door of her house (I do not normally like to intrude on Amish farms that way), because some kind of an alarm bell went off in my head. A woman answered the door, an Amish woman in her forties. When I asked her for Mrs. Martin, she informed me that her mother had died and that she was cleaning out the house. I was appalled. "What will happen to her wonderful seeds?" I asked. "Do you want them?" responded her daughter. I took all she could spare and then some, and spent the rest of the day helping her sweep out the house.
If I hadn't gone to that door, I would never have gotten Mrs. Martin's Carrot Pepper, an old-time heirloom stuffing pepper that ripens orange and grows just like a bush full of carrots. It's a nice ornamental pepper, but it also reminds me of Mrs. Martin and her 80-odd years of gardening. Her smiling spirit still moves through her plants."
He also talks about this pepper on page 261 of that book. He says that the Pennsylvania Dutch often pickle it and then serve it as an hors d'oeuvre stuffed with peanut butter, and served with pretzels and beer! The Old Order Mennonites (religious sect similar to Amish) knew it as the "Mordipeffer" or "Mordis Geelriewe peffer" (which translates as "Carrot yellow-colored pepper”). It is a smooth podded relative of the Jalapeno. It has a medium narrow, carrot shaped fruit resembling the "Early Horn Carrot," short and blocky. The flavor is great and is medium warm, not too hot.
This pepper is extremely rare and it took me five years to acquire the genuine seeds that grew true to its history and description. I had done a seed trade several years ago, and received seeds that were not this pepper. Then I went directly to William Woys Weaver to get the true seeds. It grows on rather bushy plants about 2-1/2 feet tall. It really turns a great orange color when ripening and truly looks like a carrot. This is a unique and very rare early Pennsylvania variety. The pointed 3 to 3-1/2 inch pods turn red when fully ripe. I feel very fortunate to finally have the true strain of seed for this great Pennsylvania German heirloom hot pepper. To my knowledge, I am the only commercial USA seed source of this rare historical pepper. 10 of my own fresh organically raised seeds. 10 of my own fresh organically raised seeds.
**SORRY SOLD OUT!** THOMAS JEFFERSON RED CAYENNE PEPPER
Thomas Jefferson first planted this pepper at Shadwell, his birthplace, in 1767, just before his twenty-fourth birthday. I am very happy to be offering the seeds of this hot pepper. I first acquired seeds at Jefferson's other home, Monticello. Medium hot prolific peppers. Easy to grow. **SORRY SOLD OUT!**
